1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air purifier and an operating method thereof, and more particularly, to an air purifier expelling humidified air through a humidification filter, and an operating method thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an air purifier is a device that filters contaminant dust or materials harmful to humans from air, through various filters to provide fresh air. A humidification type air purifier, among air purifiers, is a device using a principle that air purified through various filters is changed into humidified air when it passes through a humidification filter.
Here, water used in a humidification type air purifier, i.e., water absorbed into a humidification filter, includes dissolved solids. Thus, mineral components such as magnesium, potassium, or calcium, i.e., dissolved solids, are absorbed into the humidification filter in an ionic state. When purified air passes through the humidification filter by the action of a fan, dissolved solids are formed as white solids in the humidification filter.
In order to prevent a formation of these white solids, a humidifying operation is performed through a plurality of disk-type humidification filters mounted on a rotational shaft such that portions thereof are immersed in a water tank.
However, when foreign objects, or the like, are caught in a space between the disk type humidification filters and the water tank, the humidification filters may not rotate or may rotate abnormally, resulting in a situation in which the humidification filters cannot provide moisture in air expelled from the air purifier or the humidification performance thereof is degraded.
In addition, when the disk type humidification filters are eccentric with respect to the rotational shaft, they may not be able to rotate due to various issues.
Namely, a disk constraint state in which the humidification filters do not rotate normally may occur.
When the humidification filters do not rotate, the air purifier is required to be stopped to perform a maintenance operation to remove foreign objects caught in the space between the humidification filters and the water tank.
Namely, an air purifier in which whether or not humidification filters are rotating normally is detected, and when the humidification filters are not rotating, foreign objects caught in a space between the humidification filters and a water tank may be simply removed or a disk constraint state may be released is required.